It's Time Again

So, here we are again, at the beginning of another school year.  Summer has come and gone.  We have swapped the suits and sandals for uniforms and and new tennis shoes.  Every year I swear they start school earlier than the year before.  Or is it just possible that time really does fly, especially when you are flying first class on the flight of raising young children.  Everything seems to go so fast with them, yet at the same time our days and our routine can go. very. slow.  I convince myself that we will never be out of this stage, whatever that stage may be.  Screaming children at Mass, picky eaters, more food on the floor than in their stomachs, waking up during the nights, wearing diapers, wetting the bed...you get the idea.  But the stages do pass, they do learn things you never thought they could when you are in the middle of struggling with it.  Nevertheless, staring another grade at school, always makes me a bit sad.  It's affirmation that they are indeed growing up and that it is all going too fast.
I wanted to make Sunday a little special for them, but really for me to remember that we did have fun and live up summer until the very last day.  In the afternoon Thomas and Annie helped to make a special dessert for after dinner.  Peach cobbler.  Oh, my.

I had planned a little scavenger hunt for them using clues from some of the things we did that summer. The garden, piano lessons, summer with the saints, swimming lessons, taking the boat out, camping trip, the books on tape we listened to, the Robin's nest we had in our hanging baskets....

It was fun to watch Bev run five steps behind them, only to catch up with them and watch them take off again. Poor thing.



At the end of the hunt they found a basket with squirt guns and some candy.  We then had a family squirt gun fight... simple, but fun. 

I wonder if they will remember these first days of school.  I must have a terrible memory because I can't recall any one of my first days of school.  I do remember my outfit I wore on my first day of first grade, but only because my mom took a picture of me standing outside in front of our house.

 

I hope they don't remember that we were late the first day of school.  I had good intentions of being early, mind you, but then Thomas and I went to confession at 6:30 at the Pink Sisters together before starting the new year.  It was a wonderful thing to do together, and I know he'll remember waking up early and driving in the dark to get there.  And I'm sure he'll remember that we stopped to get doughnuts on the way home, however, that made us late.  I hope they erase from their memory the fact that I had to just pull up to school, open the door and say, "good-by" have a great first day, Thomas help your sister find the second grade classroom..."  No pictures of them standing all shy like with their new classmates.  Just a get in there and good luck.  At least when we were at Mass I made sure to see both of them with their right teachers!  Monsignor gave a wonderful homily about the feast of the Queenship of Mary which was being celebrated in the church that day.  He spoke about Mary sharing in Jesus' crown of glory in heaven and that we too will have a crown of glory when we get to heaven.  My friend Lindsay posted about this a while back.  She had a brilliant idea of making this visual for her children by having them each get a crown to put a jewel on when they make a sacrifice, do something joyfully, or put others first. It was the perfect thing for us to do to celebrate the Queenship of Mary, as well as begin our school year really trying to focus on others and joyfully doing what someone asks of you.

We ended the day by making a crown cake for dessert.  Another reminder that our Blessed Mother is Queen of Heaven and Earth.

I wanted to make the kids their lunches this year instead of having them get hot lunch every day.  Throughout the summer some friends and I had brainstormed ideas of good, healthy, fun foods to pack in their lunches.  I had thought of making the kids cloth napkins but in lieu of my non-sewing skills, never got it done.  Until, I had a brilliant idea!  Why not ask my sister who had just spent four days entertaining my children, caring for her 16month old, and being 35 weeks pregnant....if she would make them for me.  Brilliant, I tell you.  She so willingly agreed to come to the fabric store with me, pick out different fabrics, and then stay up until 12:30am sewing them together.  I cut, while she sewed.  I love them.  I am so grateful to her for making them.  Thomas and Annie thought they were pretty cool, Thomas especially loving the Husker and fish prints!



There is a special little zipper in the front of their lunch boxes that I told them to check because you'll never know what you may find in there...A fun fact about rivers, a tiny bag of skittles, and special note with a star burst is my idea of giving them my special love when I can't physically be there at school with them.  A good friend of mine once told me that she prays to the Blessed Virgin every day she sends her children to school. She asks for Mary's motherly protection for her children since she can't be with them.  I thought that was a beautiful prayer and so I too pray, asking Mary to protect and love Thomas and Annie while I am not with them.

And so, we begin again.  A new school year. Many adventures to be had, I'm sure.

Back to School Supplies and Bread....lots of Bread

Last year before school began, I took Thomas and Annie out each by themselves to lunch and then to go school supplies shopping.  They loved it.  I loved it.  They each got to pick where they wanted to go for lunch and then I got to be just one on one with them as they picked out their school supplies.  No hurrying them along, no feeling flustered because of screaming little ones, nothing else but just watching them as they fumbled around looking for the perfect folder and the perfect pencil sharpener...

This year we did the same.  My mom was able to come over two days in a row to watch the other kids while Annie and I went out on Wednesday, and Thomas and I went on Thursday.  And wouldn't you know, my children must take after me by being creatures of habit.  They both chose to go to Panera for lunch, just like last year.  Which is wonderful, however I stuffed myself with a lot of bread in two days.  But they loved it, and I loved just getting to watch them and talk to them.

Round two.  I noticed that Thomas is more of a talker than Annie is.  Both were very grateful and I felt very proud as I listened to their thank you mom... and we held hands as we walked together.

So here we are at the end of another summer.  I can't believe it's already here.  School and schedules will resume as we ride on the wave of another year.  Here we go...

making oatmeal for breakfast before school

Cute.

first day of school

It was a beautiful morning, the first day of school.



Starting first grade...


Starting second grade...





I think the reality of them being gone all day will hit me in a few weeks. Right now, I'm excited for them to be going to St. Teresa school and for the many beautiful families we know there.

the night before the big day

I'm not sure why I was so sad when it happened this year. But I am. I knew it was coming...I've been fighting off the tears all evening. I don't want them to go back to school. This summer has been truly an enjoyable one for me, for us all.

Tonight, the last night before school began, we took a family walk. Well, minus George and Evie who were put into bed at 6:20 tonight. TJ, Thomas, Annie, and myself all walked around the blvd and talked.



The goal was to talk about what they were excited about, nervous about, any goals for the year, and their favorite thing they did this summer. It was nice just being together. I'm always the one who tries to begin conversation. And usually what happens is I will miss a glorious moment we are in the middle of to rush us onto the next moment. Not tonight. When we started walking, no one was really talking. Thomas was throwing rocks trying to hit a pole. Soon TJ was picking up rocks, followed by Annie. I stepped back and just watched them all silently throwing rocks into the field.

I have never been big on change. Even as a little girl I remember dreading when something was changing, or different. And now, watching my own little people grow and change, is so very hard. After we had the kids in bed, TJ and I sat outside on the porch. He said how he is always going to remember them at the age they are right now. I was thinking the same thing. I said to him how long will they think that it is fun when I ask them if they want to go to the Capitol or to cheer when I say we are going to the library? Or to walk outside together? They looked forward to that all day today. What precious moments we are living right now.

While tucking Thomas in bed tonight, I asked him if he will always give me a kiss and hug and tell me he loves me especially when he is in high school. He just gave me that I'm trying not to smile look, and then said that he would.

I am so grateful for them. That I get to be a parent, even on the most difficult days. I just enjoy being with them and watching them play, learn and grow. I think that is why I am so sad to send them to school every single day. A mother's heart has so many worries. I could worry myself to death about their protection, their purity, their influences, their experiences....

St. Michael, please protect them while they are away at school every day. Keep them safe and close to God.

St. Michael the archangel, defend us in battle. Be out protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

a day spent with Annie

Annie was so excited for it to be her turn. My plan was to have her be the first one to go out and buy school supplies and out for lunch, but she was sick, and so Thomas got to go first. Regardless, she was extremely excited for the chance to be out shopping with mom alone.



Picking out new underware and socks for the school year....big, big decisions, you know.

I told Annie that she could pick anywhere she wanted to eat. Anywhere. Where do you think she picks.....Panera, of course. Bread bowl and all. She was fun to watch. Much more quiet than Thomas, oddly enough. The same birds were there waiting to be fed. She thought that was really cool too!

On the way home we put in the Sound of Music soundtrack. It's her favorite! We belted, and I do mean belted out the song do a deer a female deer, re of drop of golden sun, me a name I call myself.......and so on. Half way through the song I look back at her through the rear view mirror only to see her darling self singing her little heart out. I finally had to pull over to take these pictures or else we would have gotten in an accident!

She is such a dear little girl and I enjoyed every moment we spent together today. I looked really hard at her while we were together and thought to myself how can you really be mine? I pray so often for her, not because she necessarily needs the prayers now, or that she is struggling or anything like that. No, I pray because of the world she is growing up in. She will be immersed in a culture that thinks the less you wear, the prettier you are, the earlier you date, the more mature you are, and the more you have, the happier you will be. I pray for her that she will have courage to do what is right, what God is asking of her. I pray for her to find a good, solid, holy group of friends to carry her through grade school and high school, when the pressures are so intense. I pray for her to be more concerned that she is doing what God asks of her than what others think of her. That she can be comfortable not being just like everyone else. I know that God listens to mother's prayers for her children, and so I am storming heaven with prayers for my little girl.

When she is eighteen I want to be able to belt out the Sound of Music with her.......